The Lion and the Lamb, Revelation 5:5 Christian Wall Art

The lion and the sleeping lamb

The lion faces us directly, amber eyes wide open, its heavy mane painted in layered strokes of gold, sienna and charcoal. It lies low on a patch of grass, front legs stretched forward, one great paw curled around the lamb. The lamb, painted in warm whites with pink ears, has its eyes shut and its chin resting on the lion's leg, completely at ease.

There is no background, only a thin wash of green and gray under the two animals, which makes the contrast between them even stronger. The lettering above reads “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda”, with Revelation 5:5 in smaller letters beneath.

Lion of Judah, Lamb of God: what does Revelation 5:5 mean?

The fifth chapter of Revelation opens in the throne room of heaven. The one who sits there holds a book, a rolled document closed with seven seals. No one in heaven or on earth is found worthy to open it, and John weeps. One of the elders tells him not to weep, because the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book. The title reaches back to Genesis 49, where the dying Jacob calls his son Judah a lion's whelp and promises that the scepter will not depart from him.

Then comes the surprise. John turns to look for a lion and sees instead a Lamb standing in the midst of the throne, as though it had been slain. The conqueror announced as a lion appears as a sacrificed lamb. The two images describe one person: Christians read them as Jesus, strong and gentle, victorious by giving his life. John the Baptist had already pointed to him with the words “Behold the Lamb of God”.

A small note on a famous phrase: the Bible never actually says that the lion shall lie down with the lamb. Isaiah 11 speaks of a wolf dwelling with the lamb and a leopard lying down with a young goat. The pairing in this painting comes from Revelation instead.

Who is it for?

The lion gives this print a strength that suits a man's office, a teenage boy's room or a father's study, while the sleeping lamb softens it enough for a nursery. That double character makes it a good baptism gift for a baby boy, one he can keep as he grows.